Titus 2001-2013

As many of you already know, we had to put Titus down last week.  He had a cancerous mass and it took it's toll on him.  So, how about a trip down memory lane?  This pic is from the first day I got him.  You think I could have smiled a little?

The first few days when his food bowl was empty, he would make sure we knew.  Evidently he was afraid that we would forget to feed him.

He was always the hit of any party.  

I think she loved Titus before she loved me.  She had to.  I didn't tell her or our roomate that I was bringing home a dog.  They both got back to the apartment and he was there.  

You had to bundle up in those cold Ohio winters. 

Or you could just chill out. 

Of course he was gonna make a showing at the wedding!

The things that Titus put up with :-)

After having for Titus for 6 years we decided that we could actually be parents, here comes Nathan!

Titus was always so patient with Nathan, and I was never concerned that he would nip or bite Nathan. 

Every boy should have a built in best friend.  Every boy should have a dog. 

Letting Titus go was rough on all of us.  The day we did it Nathan cried a lot. Funny thing is that after I got back from the vet I was expecting more of the same. I was wrong.  Nathan helped me bury him, said that he was in heaven with God now and this is what happens to old dogs.  I think he is taking it better than we are :-)

I don't know how excited Titus was about adding a second kid to the family....but here comes Kristen!

I guess he decided if she was gonna stay that he better clean her up a little. 

Truth is, Kristen loved that dog. 

Near the end he really slowed down.  When he didn't want to go on walks anymore I knew the time had come.  We had a great run of over 11 years with him.  He would have turned 12 on November 1st (that was our best guess because we didn't know the actual date.)  I am thankful for a lot of things about him....

I am thankful for the great 11 years we had.

I am thankful that Nathan has grown up with a built in best friend

I am thankful that Kristen, at least for a little bit, got to know the best do ever.

I am thankful that Titus stayed with us through 2 states, 2 moves and thousands of miles visiting

grandparents.

I am thankful that Melissa loved Titus probably before she loved me.

I am thankful that I had a built in best-buddy, a food snatcher, a guard dog, and a friend that was always there for me.

And I am also thankful for that day. The day that we got to decide as a family that it was time to say goodbye, time to stop the pain, before the bad days outnumbered to good. Time for one last hug, one last pet, one last final act of truly unconditional love.